Crisis in Jordan: King Abdullah’s half-brother accused of carrying out a plot with a foreign force to “destabilize” the kingdom

Jordanian authorities said on Sunday that they dismantled a plot to “destabilize” the kingdom, in which the prince was involved Hamza bin Hussein, half-brother of the king Abdullah, and that they arrested several suspects.

Hamza, a former crown prince until 2004, and other people were in contact with a foreign force to “destabilize the security” of Jordan, said the deputy prime minister Ayman Safadi.

The king’s half-brother Abdullah II of Jordan, the prince Hamza, 41, announced on Saturday that had been placed under house arrest in his palace in Amman, after being accused by the army of activities against “the security of the kingdom”.

In a video sent to BBC through his lawyer, the Jordanian prince said that the army chief of staff was at his house and told him that he “could not go out”. He denied having participated in a conspiracy and accused his country’s authorities of “Corruption” e “incompetence”.

Sunday, the Deputy Prime Minister Ayman Safadi declared that the security services “had followed for a long time the activities and the movements of the prince Hamza bin Hussein, of Cherif Hasan ben Zaid and of Basem Awadalá (former adviser to the king) and others against the security and stability of the homeland ”.

“The investigations made it possible to monitor interventions and contacts with foreign parties to destabilize the security of Jordan”He continued.

Hamza is the eldest son of King Hussein and his American wife, Queen Noor. In accordance with the wishes of his father, who died in 1999, he was appointed crown prince when Abdullah became king. But in 2004, Abdullah II withdrew the title from him and gave it to his eldest son Huséin.

Safadi noted that they had stopped in addition to 14 to 16 suspects.

According to him, the security services advised King Abdullah II transfer all those involved to the State Security Court.

“BITTERNESS”

In Twitter, the reina noor Sunday denounced a “slander” and affirmed “let us pray that truth and justice prevail for all innocent victims ”.

In a statement, the Jordanian Chief of Staff, General Yusef huneiti, said Prince Hamza had sidor “call to end activities that could be used to undermine the stability and security of the kingdom”, but denied his arrest.

“No one is above the law. Jordan’s security and stability come first. All the measures that were taken were within the framework of the law and after a thorough investigation, ”he added.

A Jordanian analyst, who declined to give his name for security reasons, claimed that recently the Prince Hamza “had increased his criticism of what he called government corruption within his circle of friends.”

According to, “There is a bit of resentment on his part, because he never really digested to lose the title of crown prince.”

the Kingdom of Jordan, which will celebrate its centenary on April 11, is a small country lacking in natural resources and heavily dependent on foreign aid.

Washington and Gulf allies were quick to express support for pro-Western Amman government, considered a stabilizing pillar in the Middle East.

In United States, the spokesperson for the State Department, Ned Prize, said it was always “very close” the evolution of the situation.

“King Abdullah is a key ally of the United States, and he has our full support,” added.

United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia they also showed their I support the Jordanian king and all the measures that have been taken to ensure the stability of the country.

(With information from AFP)

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